Lead AI Platform Engineer - Guardrails

U.S. Bank; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 139,000 - 164,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare (medical, dental, vision)

401(k)

Paid vacation

Sick and Safe Leave

Parental leave

Adoption assistance

Pension/retirement plan

Job summary

U.S. Bank is seeking a Lead Engineer (Generative AI) to design, develop, and operationalize enterprise-scale GenAI solutions.

The role combines hands-on work with LLMs, RAG, and agentic AI with strong technical leadership to deliver secure, scalable AI systems for the bank. The role collaborates across engineering, product, risk, and security functions to translate complex requirements into production-ready capabilities, deployed in Azure and AWS using LangChain, LangGraph, Docker, Kubernetes,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience; 6–8 years of relevant experience.
• 2+ years hands‑on experience with GenAI, including LLMs, RAG architectures and vector databases.
• Strong knowledge of agentic AI concepts and frameworks (e.g., LangChain, LangGraph).
• Experience with cloud platforms (Azure and/or AWS); distributed systems and scalable architecture patterns.
• Proficiency in Python and microservices-based development; Docker, Kubernetes, and IaC tools.
• Demonstrated technical leadership and mentoring experience.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and deploy GenAI solutions using LLMs and RAG architectures.
• Lead end-to-end GenAI lifecycle: architecture, integration, deployment, monitoring, and optimization.
• Architect GenAI apps across Azure and AWS with containerized infrastructure.
• Develop Python microservices and maintain CI/CD pipelines; enforce security and quality.
• Provide architectural leadership, mentor engineers, and collaborate with product, risk, and security teams.

Skills

GenAI architectures

LLMs

RAG architectures

LangChain

LangGraph

Python

Docker

Kubernetes

Terraform/IaC

Technical leadership

Azure

AWS

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

LangChain

LangGraph

AWS Bedrock

Microsoft Foundry Agent Service

Terraform

ARM/Bicep

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

At U.S. Bank, we’re on a journey to do our best. Helping the customers and businesses we serve to make better and smarter financial decisions and enabling the communities we support to grow and succeed. We believe it takes all of us to bring our shared ambition to life, and each person is unique in their potential. A career with U.S. Bank gives you a wide, ever-growing range of opportunities to discover what makes you thrive at every stage of your career. Try new things, learn new skills and discover what you excel at—all from Day One.

Job Summary

The Lead Engineer (Generative AI) is a senior technical role responsible for designing, developing, and operationalizing enterprise‑scale Generative AI (GenAI) solutions. This position combines deep hands‑on expertise in Large Language Models (LLMs), Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG), and agentic AI architectures with strong technical leadership to deliver secure, scalable, and resilient AI systems. The role partners across engineering, product, and business teams to translate complex requirements into production‑ready AI capabilities aligned with enterprise standards for security, risk, and responsible AI.

GenAI Solution Engineering

Design, develop, and deploy GenAI solutions leveraging: Large Language Models (LLMs), Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) architectures, Prompt engineering techniques, Agentic AI workflows and orchestration. Build intelligent systems using frameworks such as LangChain, LangGraph, AWS Bedrock, and Microsoft Foundry Agent Service. Evaluate emerging tools and frameworks to continuously improve solution quality and innovation.

GenAIOps & Lifecycle Management

Lead the end‑to‑end lifecycle of GenAI solutions, including: solution architecture and engineering, integration with enterprise systems, secure deployment and release management, monitoring, observability, and continuous optimization. Implement GenAIOps best practices to ensure scalability, reliability, and cost efficiency. Establish logging, evaluation, and feedback mechanisms for production AI systems.

Cloud, Platform & Scalability Engineering

Architect and deploy GenAI applications across cloud environments (Azure and AWS). Design distributed systems capable of supporting high‑throughput, low‑latency AI workloads. Leverage modern infrastructure practices: Containerization (Docker), Orchestration (Kubernetes), Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, ARM/Bicep). Ensure high availability, performance, and enterprise‑grade security.

Software Engineering & Architecture

Develop scalable, maintainable applications using Python and microservices‑based architectures. Apply secure coding standards and robust data handling practices for regulated environments. Build and manage CI/CD pipelines supporting automated testing, deployment, and release management. Enforce engineering best practices including code reviews, testing, and documentation.

Technical Leadership & Influence

Provide architectural leadership and guidance across GenAI initiatives. Drive critical design decisions for large‑scale, complex AI solutions. Mentor and coach senior engineers and development teams. Translate business requirements into scalable, secure, and resilient technical solutions. Partner with stakeholders across product, business, risk, and security functions.

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent work experience. Six to eight years of relevant experience. 2+ years hands‑on experience with GenAI technologies, including LLMs and RAG architectures and vector databases. Strong knowledge of agentic AI concepts and frameworks (e.g., LangChain, LangGraph). Experience with cloud platforms (Azure and/or AWS). Deep understanding of distributed systems and scalable architecture patterns. Proficiency in Python and microservices‑based development. Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, and Infrastructure as Code tools. Demonstrated technical leadership and mentoring experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience implementing GenAI solutions in enterprise or regulated environments. Familiarity with observability frameworks and AI lifecycle tooling. Understanding of AI governance, security, and compliance requirements. Experience contributing to or working with AI/ML or GenAI frameworks. Background in financial services or other highly regulated industries.

Core Competencies

Technical Depth & Innovation – Strong expertise in GenAI architectures and evolving AI technologies. Ability to balance experimentation with enterprise‑grade reliability. Architecture & Systems Thinking – Designs scalable, distributed, and resilient systems. Aligns architecture decisions with enterprise standards and long‑term strategy. Execution & Operational Excellence – Drives end‑to‑end delivery from concept through production. Ensures high standards for quality, security, and performance. Leadership & Collaboration – Influences without authority and leads through technical expertise. Mentors engineers and elevates overall team capability. Business & Stakeholder Alignment – Translates complex technical concepts into business outcomes. Partners effectively across product, engineering, and leadership teams.

Location & Work Arrangement

This role requires working from a U.S. Bank location three (3) or more days per week.

Benefits

• Healthcare (medical, dental, vision)
• Basic term and optional term life insurance
• Short‑term and long‑term disability
• Pregnancy disability and parental leave
• 401(k) and employer‑funded retirement plan
• Paid vacation (from two to five weeks depending on salary grade and tenure)
• Up to 11 paid holiday opportunities
• Adoption assistance
• Sick and Safe Leave accruals of one hour for every 30 worked, up to 80 hours per calendar year unless otherwise provided by law

Review our full benefits available by employment status here.

Equal Opportunity

U.S. Bank is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status, and other factors protected under applicable law.

E‑Verify

U.S. Bank participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E‑Verify program in all facilities located in the United States and certain U.S. territories. The E‑Verify program is an Internet‑based employment eligibility verification system operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Learn more about the E‑Verify program.

Pay Range

The salary range reflects figures based on the primary location, which is listed first. The actual range for the role may differ based on the location of the role. In addition to salary, U.S. Bank offers a comprehensive benefits package, including incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase, 401(k) contribution and pension (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). Pay Range: $139,230.00 - $163,800.00

Background Checks & Compliance

U.S. Bank will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment. U.S. Bank conducts background checks consistent with applicable local laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance and the California Fair Chance Act as well as the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. U.S. Bank is subject to, and conducts background checks consistent with the requirements of Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDIA). In addition, certain positions may also be subject to the requirements of FINRA, NMLS registration, Reg Z, Reg G, OFAC, the NFA, the FCPA, the Bank Secrecy Act, the SAFE Act, and/or federal guidelines applicable to an agreement, such as those related to ethics, safety, or operational procedures. Applicants must be able to comply with U.S. Bank policies and procedures including the Code of Ethics and Business Conduct and related workplace conduct and safety policies.

Application Status

Posting may be closed earlier due to high volume of applicants.